Crank Yankers & Killer Puppets Coming To Canada!

KILLER PUPPETS, CRANK YANKERS AND JON STEWART LIVE KICK OFF THE COMEDY NETWORK’S FIFTH ANNIVERSARY SEASON

October 5 Roy Thomson Hall Gala Celebrates 5 Years of Laughs on TCN

Comedian Jon Stewart will headline a comedy gala at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall on October 5 to celebrate The Comedy Network’s fifth anniversary and upcoming season. And the celebration continues when The Comedy Network presents its best season ever (cue echo effect and music sting) with six new original shows - including the highly anticipated series PUPPETS WHO KILL - as well as the hit prank phone call comedy CRANK YANKERS.

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Whoo hoo! This means all us Canucks finally get to see "Crank Yankers" and the full season of John Pattison's "Puppets Who Kill."

FYI, "Puppets Who Kill" is produced by Radical Sheep Productions, which was founded by Rob Mills who played Junior Gorg ("fraggle"), Ludo ("Labyrinth") and Donatello ("TMNT II"). Many of the Radsheep folks are ex-Muppet puppeteers and builders and John Pattison was also a puppeteer on "Fraggle Rock."

Hopefully our American friends will get to check out "Puppets Who Kill" sometime soon in the US!

I've only seen the pilot, but it's set in halfway house. Dan Redican (also a "Fraggle" alumni) is a counsellor trying to rehabilitate puppets with severe problems (emotional, violent, sexual, etc.). It's very wicked and very adult.

I understand they did some tweaking after the pilot was shot. When I was at the Radical Sheep Shop last fall the buzz on the show was very good.

Puppets? Just for children? I know alot of people who'd like to whack you upside the head with a foam bat for that one Cantus! Sheesh!

Anyways, John Pattison (who created the show) is a hilarious puppeteer, very funny stand-up and does stuff mostly for adults. I saw his stage version of "Puppets Who Kill" years ago here in Toronto and it was great so I have high hopes for it!

Well whatever is whatever, everyone thinks different. I know people who think cartoons should be strictly for kids and that I disagree with strongly (The Critic, is amazing). Anyway,

It seems interesting, but then again I don't like Crank Yankers so I just don't know what to think. I guess I'll have to wait for the US release before disclosing any thoughts (or any more feelings on the nature of puppets, hehe)

I think people who do cartoons and puppets in a non family friendly way on television do a great disservice to children and decent parents everywhere. Kids are really drawn in to puppets and will want to watch it. It means mom or dad has to lay down the law and some kids will try to watch it anyway, blah blah blah.

People who produce these things know that the target audience that will want to watch this. I really question their motivation.

I disagree with the statement "Puppets are for children". I always have been. I'm glad that people are doing these Crude, Gross, and sick puppet shows, because it shows a lot of people that puppets really aren't just for children. I work on a local bible kids show here in Oregon called "The Puppet Parade". It's a cute, corny little kids show that tells bible stories, and etc.....Anyway..The other day we were filming and one of the producers said "Have you seen Crank Yankers? It's terrible! I think puppets should be just for kids!!". So some people think that puppets really are for kids. People think this because there have been more "Kid" puppet shows than "Adult" puppet shows i guess.

Originally posted by Sir Didymus I disagree with the statement "Puppets are for children". I always have been. I'm glad that people are doing these Crude, Gross, and sick puppet shows, because it shows a lot of people that puppets really aren't just for children. I work on a local bible kids show here in Oregon called "The Puppet Parade". It's a cute, corny little kids show that tells bible stories, and etc.....Anyway..The other day we were filming and one of the producers said "Have you seen Crank Yankers? It's terrible! I think puppets should be just for kids!!". So some people think that puppets really are for kids. People think this because there have been more "Kid" puppet shows than "Adult" puppet shows i guess.

Sir Didymus

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See, my thinking is that puppets that are for kids should also be enjoyable to adults, like the Muppets. I think that the crude vulgarities that Crank Yankers displays is just stupid, and I don't think puppets should be used for it. If you want to entertain adults with puppets, make it family entertainment (IMHO)

Cantus,
I do agree with you that Crank Yankers doesn't need to be as crude as it is. I saw a new Crank Yankers Yesterday, and it was just plain S-I-C-K. I didn't enjoy any minute of it. So I agree that puppets really shouldn't be used for this type of stuff.

Originally posted by Sir Didymus Cantus,
I do agree with you that Crank Yankers doesn't need to be as crude as it is. I saw a new Crank Yankers Yesterday, and it was just plain S-I-C-K. I didn't enjoy any minute of it. So I agree that puppets really shouldn't be used for this type of stuff.

Sir Didymus

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I'm sorry if I jumped down your throat in the last post Didymus. I know I came across a bit harsh. Its just I just feel strongly on that issue. You are totally entitled to your opinions, and don't let me stop you from posting what you feel. Sorry if I discouraged you.

Cantus,
You didn't discourage me! I agree with you totally that Puppets Shouldn't be used in a Crude-Nasty way. I do believe that puppets should be safe for kids to view, but I do think that adults should enjoy them too, and not say that they're kids stuff.

I think no one really has the right to say what you can or can't do with puppets, animation, or any other medium (unless it's of a hateful or discriminatory nature). I mean that's the point of living in a free society, right?

I also think there is a big difference between "adult" and "crude."
The crude, lewd puppet thing hasn't been original since (Lord of the Rings director) Peter Jackson did "Meet the Feebles" as splatter-fest send up of the Muppet Show. I haven't seen "Crank Yankers" so I can't comment on it, but I do think that if puppets swearing and doing that sort of comedy is in vogue it's best to let the fad burn itself out so we can move on.

Take "South Park." It was a hit not just because it was crude, but because like it or not it was one of the smartest shows on TV. Lots of crude cartoons have come and gone since then but didn't succeed because they weren't funny, they were just crude. "Sotuh Park" wouldn't have lasted long if crude was all it had going for it.

I guess what I am trying to say is that good stuff, like the Muppets, lasts forever. Crude stuff only sticks around for season or two.

Buck,
If you haven't seen Crank Yankers, then you really don't know what were talking about. The last few episodes had puppets talking about their private parts. It's sick. But, i know that other people enjoy it, so I'm not saying they have to stop making them or anything! I have to say one thing about the show, and that is they make REALLY good puppets. Very muppet-like puppets!
This is all just my oppinion thought!

Originally posted by Sir Didymus Buck, If you haven't seen Crank Yankers, then you really don't know what were talking about. The last few episodes had puppets talking about their private parts. It's sick. But, i know that other people enjoy it, so I'm not saying they have to stop making them or anything! I have to say one thing about the show, and that is they make REALLY good puppets. Very muppet-like puppets!

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I was speaking about Crank Yankers specifically, as I said in my post, I was just commenting on the crude puppet phenomenon in general.

Besides, compared to "Internet Slutts" that is produced up here, "Crank Yankers" sounds downright tame!

"Internet Slutts" was produced a couple of years ago here in Canada for our beloved Comedy Network (if you are American imagine Comedy Central with lower budgets and more SCTV).

I think only one season was done. Basically two puppets named Wally (a giant *****) and Murk (described the show's creators as the "DNA corrupted, ******* offspring of bicycle couriers") surf perveted websites with the audience.

It wasn't to my taste but one of my favorite puppeteers, Frank Mesculeit, was in it and is good as always. There is a lot of behind the scenes info and an episode guide online at wallyandmurk.com. I think there is also a newsgroup dedicated to the show alt.tv.internet-slutts